Notes on

SIMPSONS RULES

Capt. A.K. Prasad

ABBREVIATIONS

a, b, c, Ordinates representing Lengths or Areas.

d, e, f,
g
h Common interval between the ordinates.
A/V Area / Volume of the full plane / space between the end ordinates.
A1/V1 Area / Volume of a part of the full plane / space between the end ordinates of that
part.
A2/V2 Area / Volume of the remaining part of the full plane / space between the end
ordinates of that part.
D Distance of the centroid of A/V from one of the end ordinates which is multiplied by
the multiplier 0, measured along a line perpendicular to the ordinates.
D1 Distance of the centroid of A1/V1 from the ordinate which is multiplied by the
multiplier 0, measured along a line perpendicular to the ordinates.
D2 Distance of the centroid of A2/V2 from the ordinate which is multiplied by the
multiplier 0, measured along a line perpendicular to the ordinates.
I Moment of inertia of area A about an axis parallel to the ordinates and passing
through one of the end ordinates which is multiplied by the multiplier 0.
I1 Moment of inertia of area A1 about an axis parallel to the ordinates and passing
through the ordinate which is multiplied by the multiplier 0.
I2 Moment of inertia of area A2 about an axis parallel to the ordinates and passing
through the ordinate which is multiplied by the multiplier 0.

RULE 1
Applies to odd number of ordinates e.g. 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, etc.

ORD. MULT. 1 PROD. 1 MULT. 2 PROD. 2 MULT. 3 PROD. 3

a 1 a 0 0 0 0
b 4 4b 1 4b 1 4b
c 2 2c 2 4c 2 8c
d 4 4d 3 12d 3 36d
e 1 e 4 4e 4 16e
Sum(1) Sum(2) Sum(3)

A/V = h 3 Sum(1) ; D = h Sum(2) Sum(1) ; I = h3 3 Sum(3)

RULE 2
 Applies to certain number of ordinates e.g. 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, etc.

ORD. MULT. 1 PROD. 1 MULT. 2 PROD. 2 MULT. 3 PROD. 3

a 1 a 0 0 0 0
b 3 3b 1 3b 1 3b
c 3 3c 2 6c 2 12c
d 2 2d 3 6d 3 18d
e 3 3e 4 12e 4 48e
f 3 3f 5 15f 5 75f
g 1 g 6 6g 6 36g
Sum(1) Sum(2) Sum(3)

A/V = 3h 8 Sum(1) ; D = h Sum(2) Sum(1) ; I = 3h3 8 Sum(3)

COMBINATION OF RULES 1 & 2

Applies to certain number of ordinates e.g. 6, 8, 12, 14, etc., to which Rules 1 & 2 do not
apply

ORD. MULT. 1 PROD. 1 MULT. 2 PROD. 2 MULT. 3 PROD. 3

a 1 a 0 0 0 0
b 4 4b 1 4b 1 4b
c 1 1 c c 2 2c 0 2 4c 0
0 0
d 3 3 1 3 1 3d
d d
e 3 3e 2 6e 2 12e
f 1 f 3 3f 3 9f
S(1) S(2) S(3) S(4) S(5) S(6)

A1 = h 3 S(1) ; A2 = 3h 8 S(2) ; A = A1 + A2

D1 = h S(3) S(1) ; D2 = h S(4) S(2) ; D = [ (A1 D1) + {A2 (D2 + 2h)} ] A

I1 = h3 3 S(5) ; I2 = {3h3 8 S(6)} - (A2 D22) + {A2 (D2 + 2h)2} ; I = I1 + I2

NOTES : 1. D is measured from the ordinate a.
2. Replace A with V for calculating volume of a space.
3. I is measured about the axis passing through the ordinate a.
4. For any number of ordinates, always apply Rule 1 first and then apply Rule 2.

VERTICAL ORDINATES OF BULKHEAD

Applies to Rules 1 & 2 only

ORD MULT 1 PROD 1 MULT 2 PROD 2 ORD MULT 3 PROD 3

 a 1 a a/2 a2/2 a3 1 a3
b 4 4b b/2 2b2 b3 4 4b3
c 1 1 c c c/2 c/2 c2/2 c2/2 c3 1 1 c3 c3
d 3 3d d/2 3d2/2 d3 3 3d3
e 3 3e e/2 3e2/2 e3 3 3e3
f 1 f f/2 f2/2 f3 1 f3
S(1) S(2) S(3) S(4) S(5) S(6)

D Distance of the centroid of the full bulkhead from the top, where all the ordinates reach,
measured along a line parallel to the ordinates.
D1 Distance of the centroid of A1 from top of the bulkhead as stated above.
D2 Distance of the centroid of A2 from top of the bulkhead as stated above.
I Moment of inertia of the full bulkhead about an axis perpendicular to the ordinates and
passing through the top of the bulkhead where all the ordinates reach.
I1 Moment of inertia of A1 about the same axis.
I2 Moment of inertia of A2 about the same axis.

A1 = h 3 S(1) ; A2 = 3h 8 S(2) ; A = A1 + A2

D1 = S(3) S(1) ; D2 = S(4) S(2) ; D = { (A1 D1) + (A2 D2) } A

I1 = h 3 S(5) 3 ; I2 = 3h 8 S(6) 3 ; I = I 1 + I2

NOTE : For any number of ordinates, always apply Rule 1 first, and then apply Rule 2.

CENTRE OF PRESSURE OF BULKHEAD

Applies to Rules 1 & 2 and to vertical ordinates

IWS Moment of inertia of the full bulkhead about an axis passing through the water surface,
and parallel to it.
H Height of the water surface above the top of the bulkhead.
DCOP Distance of the centre of pressure from the water surface.

IWS = I - AD2 + A(D + H)2 ; DCOP = IWS { A(D + H) }

RULE 3

ORD. MULT. 1 PROD. 1 ORD. MULT. 2 PROD. 2

a 5 5a a 3 3a
b 8 8b b 10 10b
c -1 -c c -1 -c
Sum(1) Sum(2)
A/V Area / Volume of the part of the plane / space between the ordinates a and b.
D Distance of the centroid of A/V from the ordinate a, measured along a line perpendicular
to the ordinates.

A/V = h 12 Sum(1) ; D = h 2 Sum(2) Sum(1)

NOTES : 1. This Rule is not used for calculating MI and COP.

2. It should never be used, even for calculating A and D, unless specifically
required.